Ball-return for pool-tables.



M. H. BERNHARD.

BALL RETURN FOR .POOL TABLES.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 17. 1914.

Patented May 4,1915.

are

MICHAEL H. BERNHABD, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO M. J. B ERNHARDCOMPANY, INC.

BALL-BETURN FOR POOL-TABLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. BERN- HARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ball-Returns forPool-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pool tables and especially to ball holders orreceptacles used in connection'with ball return attachments therefor.

The invention is particularly adapted for use with tables located inpublic pool rooms, where it is customary to charge a fixed amount foreach game played and where at the end of each game an attendant replacesthe balls on the table, taking them from the holder into which theygravitate from the ball pockets. In this way the pro- 'prietor can checkup the number of games played and, char e accordingly. While variousforms of all holding receptacles have been used for this purposeheretofore, none of them has been found entirely satis factory, as inall of them it has been found awkward and difficult to take the ballsout.

' can be readily and easily removed when desired, and in which the ballsare exposed to view and accessible so as to enable the cue ball or otherparticular ball to be taken from the receptacle when this is necessary.

. Another object is to construct the device in such manner as to preventto a great extent the surreptitious return of the balls to the t ble bythe players.

- In the' accompanying drawings: Figure I is a'plan view of a pool tablewith the top removed, showing a ball return device embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is ;a. perspective viewof the ball'receptacle inposition Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Application filed December 17, 1914. Serial No. 87 7,674.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1.

represents a pool table of ordinary construction having the usualpockets, indicated by dotted lines at 2. A series of inclined returnchannels or runways 3 of any suitable material and construction leadfrom the various pockets to the ball holder 4 and serve as guides fordirecting the balls which are pocketed into the receptacle.

The ball holder, which may be constructed of wood or other suitablemateriahis prefer ably located under the starting end of the table Itcomprises an upper compartment or receiving tray 5 which is of sulhcientsize to accommodate all of the balls used in playing pool, and a lowercompartment, she for support 6 adapted, to support a basket or otherportable receptacle beneath the receiving tray 5. The receivingcompartment or tray has side and end walls to confine the balls therein,and an open top which enables the balls to be seen and to be picked outof the tray, if desired. In the preferred construction illustrated, thefront portions 7 of the side walls 8 extend obliquely toward each other,and as the bottom 9 of the receiving tray is included downwardlyslightly toward the front thereof, these oblique portions 7 serve asguides to the balls which after entering the tray at the rear thereofgravitate toward the front wall 10 of the tray.

' The bottom 9 has a cut away portion or opening 11,- preferably ofsemi-circular shape, formed. in the front edge thereof ad- I jacent tothe front wall 10 of suflicient size to allow passage for several poolballs simulthe front wall 10 of the device from which it extends atsubstantially right angles.

13 represents arms or extensions extendin'g obliquely from the upperedges of the front wall 10. These arms are adapted to rest in cut awayportions 14 formed at the upper edges of the oblique walls 7 and arehinged at 15 to the upper front ends of the side walls 8 of the holder.In this way the door 12, wall 10 and arms 13 form together a movable orhinged member adapted to be swung upwardly and backwardly on its hinges15 in order to open or uncover the opening 11 and allow the balls heldinthe upper receptacle or tray to pass through the opening into a portablebasket or receptacle 16 of any suitable sort which is placed on theshelf or lower portion 6 of the device. This shelf 6 in the constructionshown consists of a horizontal fiat bottom portion connected by sidewalls 17 to the bottom of the upper tray or compartment and is adaptedto support a basket or receptacle of sullicient size to hold all theballs used in a game of pool. As shown, the oblique walls 7 of thereceiving tray extend beyond the side walls 17 of the shelf 6 so thatwhen' the movable door 12 is lifted, as described, there will be nopossibility of the balls falling beyond the basket supported in thebottom of the holder.

In operation, the balls after being pocketed gravitate by means of thereturn channels 3 to the tray or upper compartmentof the ball holder.When a game is finished and it is desired to replace the balls on thetable, it is only necessary to grasp the front wall 10 of the receivingtray and swing the movable section upwardly, thereby uncovering theopening in the bottom of the tray and allowing the balls to pass throughsaid opening into the basket supported below the tray. The halls will inthis way be readily assembled in the basket and can be returned to thetable without trouble. By having the receiving tray in which the ballscollect and from which they are discharged into the portable basket orreceptacle, instead of returning the balls directly from the returnchannels into a basket or portable receptacle in the first instance, theplayers themselves are not likely to attempt to return the ballssurreptitiously to the table, as it is more troublesome and requiresmore time to pick them out singly from the receiving compartment.Furthermore, the attendant retains the basket in his pos session anddoes not place it in' position to receive '.the balls from the receivingtray until a game is finished. In order, therefore, for the players toreplace the balls from the holder on the table, it would be necessaryfor them to pick the balls singly or a few at a time from the receivingtray. The balls are nevertheless exposed to view in the receiving trayso that the cue ball or any other particular ball can be readily pickedout and placed on the table.

' The movable section can be easily oper; I ated even when the topreceiving tray has. .16 all the balls assembled therein, and there is nodanger of any of the balls jumping and falling upon the floor. When thehinged section is released after lifting'it to discharge the balls, itwill drop back into place and there is therefore no danger of thedischarge opening being accidentally left open and permitting the ballsto fall to the floor, as is liable to happen in devices in which theclosure for the discharge opening, must be replacedby hand in order toclose the discharge opening.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a pobl table provided with ball return guides,of a ball holder comprising a receiving compartment arranged to receivethe balls from said guides and having a discharge opening in the bottomportion thereof, and a part adapted to support a portable receptacle inposition to catch the balls passing through said opening, and aself-closing member which closes said discharge opening and is adaptedto be moved to permit the discharge of the balls through said opening.

2. The combination with a pool table, of a ball holder having a ballreceiving compartment comprising side walls provided with convergingfront portions having portions cut away at their tops, a bottom havingan opening near the front thereof, a front wall supporting a dooradapted to normally close said opening, arms connected with said frontwall and hinged to said side walls so as to lie in the cut away portions5 thereof, and a support for aportable receptacle.

3. The combination with a pool table provided. with ball return guides,of a twosection ball holder arranged to receive the balls from saidguides, the upper section thereof having an opening in the bottom, sidewalls,and a front portion hinged to the side walls which normally servesto close said opening but which can be swung up- 1 wardly so as toestablish communication between the two sections of'the holder.

4. The combination with a pool table provided with ball return guides,of a ball receptacle arranged to receive the balls from said guides andhaving an upper and a lower compartment, the-said upper compartmentcomprising a bottom having an opening at the forward part thereof, sideWalls, and a movable front wall pivotally connected with the side wallsand having a'door portion extending therefrom which is adapted to fitinto and normally close saidopening in the bottom of the section.

I 5. The combination with a pool table, of

a bell holder mounted thereon comprising extending from said front walland pivotan upper portion having side Walls with ally connecting thesame with the side walls. 13

converging front portions, a slightly in- Witness my hand in thepresence of two clined bottom having an opening near the subscribingwitnesses. front thereof, a front Wall connecting said CHAEL H.BERNHARD.

side Walls and having a door portion ex- Witnesses: tending therefromadapted to fit into and C. W. PARKER, normally close the said opening,and arms 0. HoRNBnoK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatente,

' Washington, D. G.

